Keys for strap connections for engines



TTED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

TRUMAN COOK, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO A. THOMASSMITH, OF SAME PLACE.

HOLDING KEYS FOR STRAP CONNECTIONS FOR ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 23,743, dated April 19, 1859.

T o all 'whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, TRUMAN Cook, of the city of Washington, in theDistrict of Columbia, have invented a new and improved mode of holdingkeys in strap connections for marine, locomotive, and other enginessecurely at their places of adjustment; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full and exact description thereof, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings and to the letters of referencemarked'thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in the combination of parts, asherein set forth, whereby the key is held at any place of requiredadjustment, as if immovably fixed to the gib, and at the same timeoccupies no room available for any other purpose.

Figure l, represents a plan of thekey with a series or range of notches,A, on one of its sides, at one edge. Fig. 2, the bolt, I, with itspeculiarly formed head, one part of which is shown at B, is shaped so asto lit into the said notches, A. Fig. 3, the gib, with a square hole, C,in one of its ends, and a notch, D, at the edge nextto, and which is incontact with the key as shown in Fig. 4, and which suits the wedge formof the said bolt head. Fig. 4, plan of key, bolt and gib, put together.

In constructing my said invention the key is first made after the usualplan and proportions, a slit E, as shown in Fig. 4, is

made, say one fourth of an inch and ranging from that to one half of aninch from the edge of the key, which is to be fitted to the edge of thegib, which slit is parallel to the edge of the key and occupies inlength that portion of the key intended to be driven in, to take up theloss motion caused by wearing of the boxes or journals. The slit E, ismade as narrow as possible and in depth from one eighth to threesixteenths of an inch. F at Fig. 4, represents notches of about the samedepth as the said slit and formed at right angles to it. The distance,

these notches shall range from each other will depend upon the draft orpitch of the key and may vary from one eighth to one fourth of an inch,and these may be so formed as to size, that in driving the key onenotch, the loss motion of one hundred and twenty-eighth part of an inchwill be taken up. The square hole C, in the end of the gib will vary asthe proportions of the gib and key to some extent, so as to suit a boltranging in diameter from one half to one inch. The bolt I, is made ofsteel; that part of its head shown in the drawing B having the wedgeform, and which fits into the said notches, is to be hardened and leftabout the temper of chisels used for chipping wrought iron g' the otherend of this bolt head, Cr, G, is fitted so as to make a good contactwith the gib. The said bolt is provided with a nut and washer H, H, thewasher must be of such diameter as will embrace a part of the surface ofthe key; and when the key has been adjusted to the required point, sothat the head B of the said bolt will fit one of the said notches, thebolt is to be driven to its place and then and there secured by screwingits said nut so as to hold it in that position.

I do not claim generally the principle of securing keys for the purposesherein stated, as various devices have been resorted'to with the hope ofobtaining this object. But

l/Vhat I do claim therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- Thenotches A, F, in the key, as shown in Figs. l and 4; the hole C in thegib, the notch D at the side of the said hole, the bolt I with itspeculiarly formed head B, and the combination and arrangement of theseparts, substantially upon the principle and in the manner as herein setforth.

, TRUMAN COOK.

